Asked by: Lord Foster of Bath (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the increase in youth gambling participation, including the rise in unregulated gambling reported in the Young People and Gambling Survey 2025; and what further protections they will put in place for those aged 11–17.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Young People and Gambling Survey 2025 identified an increase in youth participation in gambling from 27% to 30% compared to the previous year. This appears to have been driven by an increase in unregulated betting, such as between friends and family (from 15% to 18%).
As part of the gambling statutory levy, we have committed 20% to gambling harm research, which may include assessments of youth gambling participation. This is alongside 30% of levy funding for prevention activities, commissioned by the Office for Health Inequalities and Disparities (OHID), which may include education or awareness raising programmes to help protect those aged 11-17 from gambling related harm. We will continue to monitor the best available evidence when considering possible policy interventions under regulations as set out in the Gambling Act 2005.
Asked by: Lord Foster of Bath (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what recent discussions they have had with Ofcom regarding the regulation of gambling content and advertising online for young people, including the interaction of those regulations with the framework set out in the Online Safety Act 2023.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Gambling is regulated by the Gambling Commission under the Gambling Act 2005. Rules on gambling advertising content are regulated by the Advertising Standards Authority. Gambling advertising is not covered under the Online Safety Act, and as such no discussions with Ofcom have taken place.
The Government recognises that more work needs to be done to ensure that gambling advertising does not exacerbate harm. We engage regularly with stakeholders across government and with industry, to ensure the most vulnerable are protected.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of allowing charities lotteries to operate UK-wide.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Large-scale society lotteries in Great Britain are legislated through the Gambling Act 2005, which does not extend to Northern Ireland.
Gambling is a devolved matter in Northern Ireland, and therefore the operation of large-scale society lotteries is a matter for the Northern Ireland Executive.
Asked by: Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice - North Antrim)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 9 December to Question 97452 on Gambling Taxation, whether remote gambling licence holders are permitted under legislation to advertise in Northern Ireland; and what plans she has to allocate Northern Ireland a share of the Statutory Gambling Levy funds raised from remote licence holders.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Section 5 of the Gambling (Licensing and Advertising) Act 2014 makes it an offence to advertise unlicensed remote gambling services in Northern Ireland. Any online operator who wishes to advertise their services in Northern Ireland must hold a licence from the Gambling Commission.
Wider gambling regulation is devolved in Northern Ireland and, as such, developing the most appropriate approach to tackle gambling-related harm to help residents in Northern Ireland is a matter for the Northern Ireland Executive. The Gambling Levy Regulations are subject to the jurisdiction of the Gambling Act 2005 and so profits levied in Great Britain will provide funding for projects and services in Great Britain only. However, it is likely that there will be some indirect benefits of levy funding for citizens in Northern Ireland.
DCMS officials have recently met with officials in Northern Ireland to discuss a wide range of issues. The Department stands ready to support the Northern Ireland Executive in their plans to strengthen gambling regulations.
Asked by: Alex Ballinger (Labour - Halesowen)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she will assess the potential merits of reviewing the aim to permit duty under the Gambling Act 2005 to strengthen the ability of local authorities to limit gambling harms.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Local authorities are vital partners in the regulation of gambling and have a range of powers to influence the operation of gambling premises and limit gambling harm. These include site inspections, restrictions on opening hours, and suspending or revoking a gambling premises licence if premises are found to be non-complaint with the licensing objectives.
While the Government does not have any plans to review the ‘aim to permit’ provision in the Gambling Act at this time, we recognise that some authorities do not always feel that the tools at their disposal are fully effective in shaping local areas. As outlined in the Pride in Place Strategy, the Government will boost local authorities’ existing powers to influence the location and density of gambling outlets by introducing Cumulative Impact Assessments, when parliamentary time allows. This will give licensing authorities powers to determine whether the cumulative impact of the number or density of gambling premises in a local area undermines the licensing objectives, particularly in areas that have been identified as vulnerable to gambling-related harms.
Asked by: Rosena Allin-Khan (Labour - Tooting)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Health Lottery's decisions to (a) divest from the People's Health Trust and (b) create its own funding distribution vehicle on organisations receiving funding from that lottery.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The department and the Gambling Commission have regular discussions covering gambling regulation, including society lotteries. The department has not held recent discussions with the Gambling Commission on the Health Lottery’s arrangements for distributing funds.
The Gambling Act 2005 provides for the definition of a non-commercial society lottery and how proceeds can be used. All licensed lottery operators are expected to put in place arrangements to make sure that the proceeds of each lottery are distributed in a lawful and compliant way. That includes ensuring that a minimum of 20% of proceeds are awarded to good causes.
The oversight of licences for society lotteries, including ensuring operators remain compliant with its statutory responsibilities, is a matter for the Gambling Commission.
More information about the Gambling Commission’s principles for licensing and regulation, compliance and enforcement under the Gambling Act 2005 can be found on the Commission’s website.
Asked by: Rosena Allin-Khan (Labour - Tooting)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to ensure society lotteries are being run in the public interest.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The department and the Gambling Commission have regular discussions covering gambling regulation, including society lotteries. The department has not held recent discussions with the Gambling Commission on the Health Lottery’s arrangements for distributing funds.
The Gambling Act 2005 provides for the definition of a non-commercial society lottery and how proceeds can be used. All licensed lottery operators are expected to put in place arrangements to make sure that the proceeds of each lottery are distributed in a lawful and compliant way. That includes ensuring that a minimum of 20% of proceeds are awarded to good causes.
The oversight of licences for society lotteries, including ensuring operators remain compliant with its statutory responsibilities, is a matter for the Gambling Commission.
More information about the Gambling Commission’s principles for licensing and regulation, compliance and enforcement under the Gambling Act 2005 can be found on the Commission’s website.
Asked by: Rosena Allin-Khan (Labour - Tooting)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions she has had with the Gambling Commission on The Health Lottery’s new arrangements for distributing funds.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The department and the Gambling Commission have regular discussions covering gambling regulation, including society lotteries. The department has not held recent discussions with the Gambling Commission on the Health Lottery’s arrangements for distributing funds.
The Gambling Act 2005 provides for the definition of a non-commercial society lottery and how proceeds can be used. All licensed lottery operators are expected to put in place arrangements to make sure that the proceeds of each lottery are distributed in a lawful and compliant way. That includes ensuring that a minimum of 20% of proceeds are awarded to good causes.
The oversight of licences for society lotteries, including ensuring operators remain compliant with its statutory responsibilities, is a matter for the Gambling Commission.
More information about the Gambling Commission’s principles for licensing and regulation, compliance and enforcement under the Gambling Act 2005 can be found on the Commission’s website.
Asked by: Lord Foster of Bath (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Advertising Standards Authority and the Gambling Commission about Premier League football clubs that are sponsored by unlicensed gambling businesses.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Minister for Gambling and Heritage met with the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) in December 2024. However, sponsorship of this kind is not within the remit of the ASA, whose CAP Code includes a specific exclusion for ‘sponsorship’.
However, we regularly engage with the Gambling Commission on this issue. The Commission has been clear that sports organisations must diligently and continuously ensure that they are not advertising illegal gambling. Under current rules, sports organisations who engage in sponsoring and advertising arrangements with unlicensed gambling operators are at serious risk of committing the offence of advertising unlawful gambling under Section 330 of the Gambling Act 2005. The Commission has warned relevant club officials that they may be liable to prosecution and, if convicted, face a fine, imprisonment or both if they promote unlicensed gambling businesses that transact with consumers in Great Britain. The Commission is taking active steps to monitor online gambling activity for these unlicensed brands and to ensure they are blocked and inaccessible to consumers in Great Britain, and will take steps as necessary.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to grant local authorities stronger powers to reject license applications for slot machines.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government wants local authorities to feel empowered to make decisions that are in their communities’ best interests. Local authorities have a range of powers to manage gambling in their areas, both under the planning system and as licensing authorities under the Gambling Act 2005.
As set out in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government’s English Devolution White Paper, the Government will look to complement local authorities’ existing powers in relation to gambling outlets to refuse or place conditions on premises licences, in line with measures outlined in the 2023 Gambling White Paper, when parliamentary time allows.